Mouse structure

ABSTRACT

An improved mouse structure has a cover and a base pivotally connected to the cover. The cover is an elliptically curved shell with two ends, and has a pivoting portion extending downwardly from one of the ends thereof as well as a hook formed on another end thereof. The base comprises a receiving portion formed on an end thereof for receiving the pivoting portion, an engaging seat formed on another end thereof, and an engaging hole formed in the engaging seat for engaging with the hook.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an improved mouse structure, andparticularly to a compact wireless optical mouse with improvedarrangement of the inner elements for convenient carrying.

2. Description of the Prior Art

With the Windows operating system, the mouse has become an essential andindispensable computer peripheral. The mouse can be classified accordingto its function into two types, the optical mouse and mechanism mouse,and each type is further dividable into the wired and wireless mouse.The wireless optical mouse utilizes light for sensing movement of themouse, and the power consumption is consequently much more and thus thismouse requires frequent battery replacement. Referring to FIG. 1, theprior art battery device can be classified as two kinds. In the firstkind, the mouse 80 is formed with a battery chamber 82 on a bottomthereof, and a detachable cover 84 covers the battery chamber 82. In thesecond kind, the mouse 90 is formed with a battery chamber 92 on a topthereof, and a detachable cover (not shown) covers the battery chamber92.

The conventional wireless optical mouse has the following disadvantages:

1. The battery arrangement occupies a lot of space. When the battery isarranged on the bottom of the first kind mouse, the other elements mustbe disposed on the battery, and therefore the overall volume of themouse must be increased. This results in inconvenience when carrying,and is contrary to the wireless and unrestricting trend.

2. The mouse has one more cover. This additional cover requires not onlya lot of attention to engaging the cover on the battery chamber whenreplacing the battery, but also one more die for molding the cover. Thewhole cost and assembling time are increased.

3. The upper and lower shell (85, 86) of mouse are usually assembled byscrewing or engaging with some hooks and grooves. This also consumestime when assembling the mouse.

Therefore, the present invention according to the disadvantages of theprior art provides a wireless optical mouse for convenient carrying andassembling as well as ease of changing the battery.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved mousestructure that improves the arrangement of inner elements for achievinga compact mouse.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved mousestructure with an improved method of assembly that is fast and allowsconvenient battery changing, thus reducing production cost and assemblytime.

In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention of improvedmouse structure comprises a cover, and a base that pivotally connectswith the cover. The cover is an elliptically curved shell with two ends,which comprises a pivoting portion extending downwardly from one of theends thereof, and a hook formed on another end thereof. The basecomprises a receiving portion formed on an end thereof for receiving thepivoting portion, an engaging seat formed on another end thereof, and anengaging hole formed in the engaging seat for engaging with the hook.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those setforth above will become apparent when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description thereof. Such description makes referenceto the annexed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wireless optical mouse in accordancewith the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another wireless optical mouse of theprior art;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an improved mouse structure ofthe present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective assembling view of the improved mouse structureof the present invention in an uncovered condition;

FIG. 5 is another perspective assembling view of the improved mousestructure of the present invention in an uncovered condition;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the improved mouse structure of the presentinvention in an uncovered condition; and

FIG. 7 is a side view of the improved mouse structure of the presentinvention in a covered condition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 3 to 7, the present invention of an improved mousestructure 1 comprises a cover 10 and a base 20 pivotally assembled onthe cover 10.

The cover 10 is an elliptically curved shell with two ends, comprising apivoting portion 11 extending downwardly from one of the ends thereof,and a saddle 15 formed on a front portion thereof. The pivoting portion11 has an extending portion 12 extending downwardly from an edge of thecover 10, and a pair of pivoting shafts 14 respectively protrudingoutwardly from two ends of the extending portion 12. The saddle 15 has awheel hole 17 formed thereon for containing and projecting a wheel 44.The saddle 15 extends forwardly and downwardly for a predeterminedlength with a distal end and a hook 16 protrudes from an inner surfaceof the distal end of the saddle 15.

The base 20 comprises a receiving portion 21 formed on an end thereoffor receiving the pivoting portion 11, an engaging seat 25 formed onanother end thereof, and an engaging hole 280 formed on the engagingseat 25 for engaging with the hook 16.

The receiving portion 21 of the base 20 has a central recess 22 forcontaining the extending portion 11, and two U-shaped seats 23respectively formed on two sidewalls adjacent to the central recess 22.Each of the U-shaped seats 23 is formed with a slot 24 for receiving thepivoting shafts 14 of the pivoting portion 11 therein.

The pivoting portion 11 further comprises a stopping portion 13protruding outwardly from an outside edge thereof; therefore, when thecover 10 is opened, the stopping portion 13 can stop the cover 10 at apredetermined angle.

Referring to FIG. 4, the engaging seat 25 is generally U-shaped, and hastwo side walls 26 extending inwardly from a front portion of the base20, an inner wall 27 connecting with the two side walls 26, and alocking plate 28 extending forwardly and downwardly from a top of theinner wall 27. The engaging hole 280 is formed in the locking plate 28.

A distinguishing feature of the mouse 1 is that the mouse 1 has aV-shaped battery seat 30 disposed therein. The battery seat 30 comprisesa front gap 32 formed in a front portion thereof for receiving a portionof the wheel 44; the mouse is reduced a predetermined lengthwise lengththereby. Also, the cover 10 is an elliptically curved shell formed witha concave space therein. The battery seat 30 is received in the concavespace, fully utilizing space and reducing the total volume.

The battery seat 30 has two tail portions 34 formed on two side of anend thereof. Each tail portion 34 has a fixing portion 36 extendingdownwardly and engaging the U-shaped seat 23 for retaining the pivotingshafts 14 in the U-shaped seat 23 to utilize fully the element withoutanother fixing element. A PCB (printed circuit board) 40 of the mouse 1is disposed under the battery seat 30 and connected with the base 20.The PCB 40 has a board 42 and a light source 46 disposed on the board42. The light source 46 usually is a LED 46.

The mouse 1 further comprises a lens 50 which is assembled under the PCB40 for guiding light from the light source 46 through a light hole 52 tothe surface where the mouse rests on. The light hole 52 is formed on thebase 20.

The cover 10 of the improved mouse structure 1 further comprises a pairof side boards 19 respectively disposed on two sides thereof. Each sideboard 19 is formed with a concave portion 191 for gripping. By pressingthe pair of side boards 19 of the mouse 1, the cover 10 is compressedinwardly and the hook 16 moves forward and out the engaging hole 280.Therefore, the present invention allows quicker battery exchange. Theside boards 19 can be elliptical in shape and the base 20 is formed withtwo U-shaped side grooves 29 in two sides thereof for receiving the sideboards 19 therein.

In summary, the characteristics and advantages of the present inventionare as follows:

1. The present invention of the improved mouse structure provides animproved method of arrangement for the inner elements of the mouse so asto reduce the total volume and allow convenient carrying.

2. The present invention of the improved mouse structure provides a newmethod of assembly of which the cover is pivotally assembled with thebase, so the mouse is assembled more quickly and the battery isexchanged more quickly. The present invention more effectively reducesthe assembling time.

3. The present invention of the improved mouse structure does not need alid to cover the battery; a mold for the lid is therefore unnecessaryand the production cost is reduced.

Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modificationand alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teachingsof the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construedas limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.

1. An improved mouse structure, comprising a cover, being anelliptically curved shell with two ends, comprising a pivoting portionextending downwardly from one of the ends thereof, and a hook formed onanother end thereof, the pivoting portion having an extending portionextending downwardly from an edge of the cover, and a pair of pivotingshafts respectively protruding outwardly from two ends of the extendingportion; a base, comprising a receiving portion formed on an end thereoffor receiving the pivoting portion, an engaging seat formed on anotherend thereof, and an engaging hole formed on the engaging seat forengaging with the hook, the receiving portion of the base having acentral recess for containing the extending portion, and two U-shapedseats respectively formed on two sidewalls adjacent the central recess,wherein each of the U-shaped seats is formed with a slot for receivingthe pivoting shafts therein.
 2. The improved mouse structure as in claim1, wherein the cover further comprises a saddle formed with a wheel holetherein for containing and projecting a wheel, the saddle extendsforwardly and downwardly for a predetermined length with a distal end,and the hook protrudes from an inner surface of the distal end of thesaddle.
 3. The improved mouse structure as in claim 1, wherein thepivoting portion further comprises a stopping portion protrudingoutwardly from an outside edge thereof, wherein when the cover isopened, the stopping portion stops the cover at a predetermined angle.4. The improved mouse structure as in claim 1, wherein the mouse has aV-shaped battery seat disposed therein, the battery seat comprising afront gap for receiving a portion of the wheel, and the mouse is reducedby a predetermined lengthwise length.
 5. The improved mouse structure asin claim 4, wherein the battery seat has two tail portions formed on twoside of an end thereof, each tail portion has a fixing portion extendingdownwardly and engaging the U-shaped seat for retaining the pivotingshafts in the U-shaped seat.
 6. The improved mouse structure as in claim5, further comprising a PCB (printed circuit board) disposed under thebattery seat and connected with the base.
 7. The improved mousestructure as in claim 6, further comprising a transparent lens assembledunder the PCB for guiding light from the light source to the surfacewhere the mouse rests on.
 8. The improved mouse structure as in claim 1,wherein the cover further comprises a pair of side boards respectivelydisposes on two sides of the cover, and each side board is formed with aconcave portion for gripping, and when the pair of side boards arepressed, the cover compresses inwardly and the hook moves forwardly andout of the engaging hole.
 9. The improved mouse structure as in claim 8,wherein the base is formed with two U-shaped side grooves in two sidesthereof for receiving the side boards therein.
 10. The improved mousestructure as in claim 1, wherein the engaging seat is generallyU-shaped, and has two side walls extending inwardly from a front portionof the base, an inner wall connecting with the two side walls, and alocking plate extending forwardly and downwardly from a top of the innerwall, wherein the engaging hole is formed in the locking plate.